The invention relates to a transportable podium which is designed and suitable for use and erection at various locations, comprising step elements which, in an operating position of the podium, have different heights above a floor. The individual step elements are thereby either flat or step-shaped and can have connecting passages, seats or standing areas.
According to prior art, transportable podiums are erected from individual parts into a supporting scaffolding and dismounted into individual parts for transport. This has the consequence, that erecting and dismounting the known transportable podiums requires a considerable amount of time and assembly effort.
Stationary podiums are also known which can be pulled apart from a stack in the manner of a telescope along a horizontal pulling direction into the position of use and can be pushed back together into a stack, in opposition to the pulling direction, after use. Advantageously, these podiums can be erected with relatively little effort and, if the area they cover is needed for other purposes, they can be easily pushed back into a stack. These podiums are, however, stationary means which require an unacceptable amount of effort for transport to different locations of use.
Another telescopic podium provided for use at a fixed location, e.g. in a certain gymnasium, is disclosed in DE 7919671 U1. It comprises step elements having different heights above a floor during use. The step elements can be pulled apart in the manner of a telescope along a horizontal pulling direction into the position of use and can be pushed back together into a stack in opposition to the pulling direction.
This conventional podium comprises a chassis for transport thereof as a whole to facilitate erection and dismounting at the location of use when required without requiring any transport means. This podium can be pushed together in the manner of a telescope on the supporting frame connected to the chassis and moved to a different location using the chassis. Such a podium, provided for a certain location of use, has the advantage that it can be transported to the location of use if required. It is, however, not possible to transport these podiums to a different location, e.g. the gymnasium of another town, without an unreasonable amount of effort.
Taking into consideration the above prior art, it is the underlying purpose of the present invention to produce a transportable podium which can be easily erected, dismounted and transported from one location of use to another.
To achieve this object with a transportable podium comprising step elements having different heights above the floor during use of the podium, the invention proposes that the step elements can be pulled apart in the manner of a telescope along a horizontal pulling direction for use and can be pushed together into a pile in opposition to the pulling direction, and for transporting the podium to a different location, the piled step elements are arranged in a transporting position within an essentially cubical supporting frame or can be brought into a transporting position in the supporting frame by means of a lifting device.
The underlying idea of the invention consists in arranging step elements, which can be pulled apart and pushed together in the manner of a telescope and in a supporting frame which assumes a static function to support the podium during erection thereof and also for transporting the pushed together step elements. The supporting frame is essentially cuboid, i.e. its outer covering surface corresponds essentially to that of a cubical container. The supporting frame does not have to be formed as a closed receptacle, such as a container, but can be an open, supporting structure.
The feature that the step elements stacked in the transporting position are arranged within the supporting frame, means that, in the transporting position, they are essentially preferably completely within the space enclosed in the supporting frame. In the transporting position, the step elements are preferably suspended in the supporting frame. Also, additional fixing elements can be provided for fixing the position of the step elements in the supporting frame or load bearing supporting elements for supporting the step elements in the supporting frame from below.
The supporting frame is preferably an integrated part of the podium. It is preferably composed of profiles which are advantageously disposed along the edges of the essentially cuboid basic shape. Reinforcing braces and elements for securing the step elements in the transporting position must also be provided for as needed. The supporting frame thereby comprises a three-dimensional scaffolding as basic body for transport and erection of the podium. The braces are preferably erected in the floor and in the side parts of the cuboid supporting frame. Further braces can be erected in a transverse or longitudinal direction in the edge areas if they are disposed such that they do not obstruct pulling apart or lifting of the stacks.
For transporting the podium, the step elements are pushed into the supporting frame in which they are flush or slightly offset in a stack. It can thereby be advantageous to bring some of the stacking elements into a transporting position in the supporting frame by means of a lifting device.
For erecting the podiums, the step elements are preferably pushed out of the supporting frame via the longitudinal side of the supporting frame. It can be advantageous thereby if some of the step elements can be initially lifted by means of a lifting device above the upper side of the supporting frame and subsequently pulled out. The lifting device is preferably integrated in the cuboid supporting frame and can be realized e.g. by means of a spindle, chain or hydraulic drive. One embodiment is particularly preferred which comprises spindle drives preferably having synchronized gearing.
The inventive podium can provide standing areas and also seats on the step elements. The seats can be provided i.a. in the shape of individual seats, e.g. integral-molded seats which are erected e.g. on appropriate base structures on the step elements or are formed as folding seats. Particularly preferred are the seat elements of DE 3614983 A1.
The outer dimensions of the supporting frame can be selected as required by taking into consideration the transport requirements, the weight and the number of seats. An advantageous feature thereby can be that the outer dimensions of the supporting frame correspond essentially to an integral multiple or integral number of parts of the dimensions of standardized containers. This facilitates transport of such a standardized size. A 20 foot standardized container has e.g. a length of 6055 mm, a width of 2435 mm and a height of 2591 mm. An inventive supporting frame can have e.g. these dimensions or, with otherwise identical dimensions, only half or a third of the length.
In a further advantageous feature facilitating transport, the supporting frame comprises transport means for transport by means of a transporting device, lifting equipment or a conveying means. Transport means of this type can preferably be engagement elements in the form of loops or hooks, e.g. for erecting a crane hook or a crane gear. Other advantageous transporting means can be engagement openings, e.g. pockets for inserting a stacking fork for removing the container. Advantageously, the transporting means are generally disposed on top and/or on the side of the supporting frame. For transport with standardized transporting means, it can be in particular advantageous if the supporting frame comprises corresponding engagement openings, such as a container.
To obtain small transport weight, as many parts of the podium as possible preferably consist of light-weight material, e.g. of aluminium, especially the step elements. Supporting and load-receiving parts such as e.g. the supporting frame are preferably made from a stronger material.
It was surprisingly discovered within the scope of the present invention that the difficult requirements of transportable podiums can be solved by means of telescope-like extendable step elements arranged in a supporting frame without requiring time-consuming erecting or dismounting of many individual parts. The inventive podium not only has advantages with respect to the time required for erecting and dismounting and with respect to its mobility, but also has a wide range of uses.
A particular additional advantage of the inventive podium is that it does not need a solid, level, flat ground for erection. It can be erected on a sloping or uneven surface, since, for erecting the podium, it is sufficient to align the supporting frame in a horizontal direction, e.g. by using pivoting supports or spindles. The invention achieves goals which the experts have been attempting to achieve for a long time.